Here are your Puck Headlines: a glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest blogosphere in sports and the few, the proud, the mainstream hockey media.
• Reminder: Order this calendar. "The Philadelphia Honor is a new women's hockey team in Philly that's focused on philanthropy, expanding women's ice hockey, and honoring loved ones we have lost. Every player has a personalized patch made for her jersey with embroidered initials of loved ones they lost or who they play in honor of. We've partnered with Defending The Blue Line, an amazing non-profit organization created by soldiers and hockey players with the goal of ensuring children of our nation's military heroes have the opportunity to play hockey. We accomplish this by providing free equipment for kids of military families, running hockey camps and special events, and providing financial assistance for registration fees and other costs associated with hockey. All of the proceeds from this calendar will go to DTBL." [Defending The Blue Line]
• Your Winter Classic extended outlook forecast: 60-percent chance of showers all day, high of 45. Scattered showers on Tuesday as well. Please baby, hold together … [Weather.com]
• The NHL has its own weather information, of course: "According to the detailed weather reports the NHL is receiving, there's a slight chance of rain or snow late in the day on Jan. 2." [Dan Rosen]
• New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal has been cleared for contact: "We'll see how the next few days go with the hitting. I wasn't hitting very hard. I still need some more work (on conditioning), I don't feel like I'm ready to play 25 minutes like last year." [Rangers Rants]
How HBO 24/7 is turning Ilya Bryzgalov into a star. "My husky, Nila, is a worldwide sensation now." [Philly.com]
• Interesting interview with Alex Ovechkin's former trainer that leaves some questions unanswered, however. When asked if Ovechkin was fat this summer: "Fat? It's all fraud as the rumors of doping. This is ridiculous. First, he didn't fail a single test. Second, what doping gives? Extra strength and aggression. Ovechkin doesn't need it. When he is hitting everybody is flying." Er, yeah, so about his weight … [Alex Ovetjkin]
• Josh Cooper talks with Jordin Tootoo about his year of sobriety. Said Barry Trotz: "He was in a lonely place. … He's not so lonely anymore." [Tennessean]
• Bruce Peter predicts GOLD for the Americans at World Juniors. Suck it, Denmark. [Puck Worlds]
• Our favorite read of the day from Scott Reynolds of The Copper & Blue: "There are nine different teams in the NHL on pace for a goal differential of better than +60 (Boston, Detroit, Vancouver, and New York) or worse than -60 (Tampa Bay, Carolina, Long Island, Columbus, and Anaheim). If all nine make it, that would set a new record since the NHL moved to an 82-game schedule." [C&B]
• Interesting stuff from both Brian Burke and Ron Wilson about his extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs, which has been in the bag for some time. Said Burke: "When people are clamouring for a coaching change, there are visible signs when it's time to change your coach. You have agents calling you and complaining that players don't like the coach and aren't going to play for him. You have what we call snipers, unnamed players taking shots. And there's been none of that since I've been here. In fact, I had players come to me last year, telling me 'don't change the coach.'" [National Post]
• Marcus Kruger sounds like he's ready to go for the Chicago Blackhawks, but Brandon Pirri is up just in case. [Between The Circles]
• TJ Oshie will miss two games with a wrist injury. No word if it's his beer hand. [STLToday.com]
• Ryan Ellis has been recalled by the Nashville Predators, as Shea Weber is expected to miss tonight's action against the Detroit Red Wings. [On The Forecheck]
• The New Jersey Devils face former head coach John MacLean tonight, now an assistant with the Carolina Hurricanes. Interesting tidbit: Unlike a lot of former Devils coach when they're canned, he wasn't working with the team after being fired and needed no permission from Lou to get the Hurricanes gig. [Fire & Ice]
• Hey, remember Tomas Vokoun? Dale Hunter apparently doesn't. [Capitals Insider]
• Good news from Pegulaville: Thomas Vanek, Brad Boyes and Jochen Hecht will all be in the lineup tonight for the Buffalo Sabres. [Sabres Edge]
• Jack Todd has never met a rabble he couldn't rouse, so here's his advice to the Montreal Canadiens ownership: "Here's what you do: First thing this morning, you call in Mr. Gauthier and tell him not to let the door hit his butt on the way out. Then you call in Mr. Cunneyworth. You apologize for putting him in an untenable position. You thank Mr. Cunneyworth for his efforts and you give him a choice: return to Hamilton or stay in Montreal as an assistant to your new coach." [Gazette]
• Gabe Landeskog on the least electronically included player in the Colorado Avalanche locker room: "Probably one of the older guys. Maybe Hejduk. You see all these iPhones and Blackberrys around the room. But he's got some rock that he's got in his pocket." [MHH]
• Stat Nerd Alert: Gabe Desjardins has cooked up another ingenious idea. [Arctic Ice Hockey]
• The Los Angeles Kings and Darryl Sutter haven't have much time to get to know each other, besides Sutter knowing they're underachieving and the Kings knowing he dresses like the manager of a national park. [LA Kings Insider]
• The movement to get Daniel Alfredsson named one of the All-Star Game captains is afoot. Wasn't this assumed if he's voted in? [QMI]
• Boston Bruins left-winger Brad Marchand was named the NHL's first star of the week Monday after helping his team to a pair of home victories. New York Rangers right-winger Marian Gaborik took the second star, while Colorado Avalanche goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere was the third star. Both are not nearly as annoying. [NHL.com]
• Finally … will history be made again in WJC?